DS Forums

 
 

Notepad for Kindle Paperwhite


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 07-09-2015, 13:29
red_amber
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 598

I use my kindle quite often and have never understood why this device does not come with a notepad pre installed.

Does anyone know of a good notepad to install on the paperwhite? Preferably one that does not have character-count limitatations and allows me to save content to other devices. Thanks
red_amber is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 07-09-2015, 13:37
oilman
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,852
I use my kindle quite often and have never understood why this device does not come with a notepad pre installed.

Does anyone know of a good notepad to install on the paperwhite? Preferably one that does not have character-count limitatations and allows me to save content to other devices. Thanks

You can get a text editor on the paperwhite, but you have to root device, install a special launcher etc. You run a risk of bricking device if it goes wrong. Really not for lesser experienced persons.
oilman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-09-2015, 15:22
wakey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,763
I use my kindle quite often and have never understood why this device does not come with a notepad pre installed.

Does anyone know of a good notepad to install on the paperwhite? Preferably one that does not have character-count limitatations and allows me to save content to other devices. Thanks
why would you want a notepads on a ebook reader?
wakey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-09-2015, 18:47
oilman
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,852
why would you want a notepads on a ebook reader?
To make notes?

Not everybody needs a tablet to do something basic.

Not a bad idea when you consider how long battery lasts on e-readers
oilman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-09-2015, 19:28
red_amber
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 598
You can get a text editor on the paperwhite, but you have to root device, install a special launcher etc. You run a risk of bricking device if it goes wrong. Really not for lesser experienced persons.
Thanks for the reply, but this sounds too complicated for me
red_amber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-09-2015, 22:30
wakey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,763
To make notes?

Not everybody needs a tablet to do something basic.

Not a bad idea when you consider how long battery lasts on e-readers
Would you pull a paper book out of your bag to make notes on though? I don't think you would. Why over complicate a device with features that it doesn't really need, any additional features over a paper book should be there to enhance the core purpose not to try and make it an everything device. We pretty much all have a phone in our pockets which fills that purpose perfectly and has a better keyboard than any kindle but the early Kindles with the physical keyboard.

If you want to make notes about a book like you might in the margins of a book you are studying then it has that feature that works well but I just don't see how with the hardware you could do it in a really useful way or in a way that's good to use
wakey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 00:39
oilman
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,852
Would you pull a paper book out of your bag to make notes on though? I don't think you would. Why over complicate a device with features that it doesn't really need, any additional features over a paper book should be there to enhance the core purpose not to try and make it an everything device. We pretty much all have a phone in our pockets which fills that purpose perfectly and has a better keyboard than any kindle but the early Kindles with the physical keyboard.

If you want to make notes about a book like you might in the margins of a book you are studying then it has that feature that works well but I just don't see how with the hardware you could do it in a really useful way or in a way that's good to use
Who are you to judge what or why the OP wants such a facility?
oilman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 09:27
Stig
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sandy Heath, Beds. UK
Posts: 10,379
Who are you to judge what or why the OP wants such a facility?
I think the point to be made to red_amber is that a Kindle Paperwhite really wasn't designed to do this. Typing on a Kindle (to do a search for example) is slow and cumbersome. It is incredibly laggy. Apart from adding brief notes it is awful. That's why there isn't a notepad app, or indeed any apps you can add to a Kindle eReader!
Stig is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 09:41
Mandark
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Derby
Posts: 27,586
I think the point to be made to red_amber is that a Kindle Paperwhite really wasn't designed to do this. Typing on a Kindle (to do a search for example) is slow and cumbersome. It is incredibly laggy. Apart from adding brief notes it is awful. That's why there isn't a notepad app, or indeed any apps you can add to a Kindle eReader!
I think this is a valid point. Just typing in a book title using the search facility is a real pain. Making notes would be awful. I'd argue the Paperwhite is underpowered.
Mandark is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 10:39
wakey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,763
Who are you to judge what or why the OP wants such a facility?
Its less about me judging what the OP wants and more judging what is good for the hardware.

We live in a world at the moment where rather than making things that do a job really well we make them do lots of jobs adequately. Yes all in one devices can be convenient but part of what has made the kindle ereaders so good is they pretty much know what they want to be and aren't straying from that core focus so we have both the hardware and the software tuned perfectly for doing that one thing excellently.

If you were to stick a faster processor in it to support more complex functionality and to give a smoother operation on things like the keyboard to make typing smoother you are going to kill the battery life. Even if you did that the fact it uses an eink screen is also going to see a certain amount of lag be there as the screen simply isn't designed for super fast updates so you would have to switch to a more suitable screen which then turns it into a tablet and introduces things like the eye strain and sleep impact of a backlit screen. So right away you have made what's perhaps as close to a perfect device for the task its designed for as you can get into one that's no where near perfect and most likely more expensive. And with all that you may as well then buy a proper tablet.

At the end of the day we all have a multifunction device thats in our pockets, much smaller so easier access quickly that is much better for taking notes and thats our phone. We can choose from a variety of options, some more simple while others more complex that makes writing. organising and manipulating the notes much easier than the kindle could ever do
wakey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 10:43
wakey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,763
I think this is a valid point. Just typing in a book title using the search facility is a real pain. Making notes would be awful. I'd argue the Paperwhite is underpowered.
Some of the lag is the screen. e-ink just isn't designed for super quick refresh rates. You could stick a cutting edge processor in it and you would never fully improve the sluggishness completely. Certainly not enough to make the trade-offs by going for a superpowerful processor worthwhile
wakey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 11:29
IvanIV
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 25,199
Sony has a DPTS1, Digital Paper System, that allows you to handwrite notes, but it will set you back ~$800. Kindle eReaders are relatively cheap, but they do the job very well. If that's not good enough, get a tablet.

https://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/produc...perproductpage
IvanIV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 11:43
oilman
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,852
I think the point to be made to red_amber is that a Kindle Paperwhite really wasn't designed to do this. Typing on a Kindle (to do a search for example) is slow and cumbersome. It is incredibly laggy. Apart from adding brief notes it is awful. That's why there isn't a notepad app, or indeed any apps you can add to a Kindle eReader!
Actually, you can (Leafpad editor) and the its inbuilt osk is quite good, and responsive.

As I said in first post, it requires rooting of kindle so is not for lesser experienced persons.

Its all a bit of a moot point anyway as it is (afaik) not possible otherwise, and OP had decided not to bother.
oilman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 11:49
oilman
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,852
Its less about me judging what the OP wants and more judging what is good for the hardware.

We live in a world at the moment where rather than making things that do a job really well we make them do lots of jobs adequately. Yes all in one devices can be convenient but part of what has made the kindle ereaders so good is they pretty much know what they want to be and aren't straying from that core focus so we have both the hardware and the software tuned perfectly for doing that one thing excellently.

If you were to stick a faster processor in it to support more complex functionality and to give a smoother operation on things like the keyboard to make typing smoother you are going to kill the battery life. Even if you did that the fact it uses an eink screen is also going to see a certain amount of lag be there as the screen simply isn't designed for super fast updates so you would have to switch to a more suitable screen which then turns it into a tablet and introduces things like the eye strain and sleep impact of a backlit screen. So right away you have made what's perhaps as close to a perfect device for the task its designed for as you can get into one that's no where near perfect and most likely more expensive. And with all that you may as well then buy a proper tablet.

At the end of the day we all have a multifunction device thats in our pockets, much smaller so easier access quickly that is much better for taking notes and thats our phone. We can choose from a variety of options, some more simple while others more complex that makes writing. organising and manipulating the notes much easier than the kindle could ever do
So why did you start patronisingly talking about paper books. A simple 'Are you sure this is the best idea - this might be a better option' type of response would have sufficed.

I will admit we all make unsubtle replies occasionally but I do try and pitch (don't always succeed) my response at a level relevant to the User.
oilman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 12:35
wakey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,763
So why did you start patronisingly talking about paper books. A simple 'Are you sure this is the best idea - this might be a better option' type of response would have sufficed.

I will admit we all make unsubtle replies occasionally but I do try and pitch (don't always succeed) my response at a level relevant to the User.
Because my point is that the Kindle is supposed to be book replacement so if you wouldn't go into your bag to and write notes on a paper book then does it really belong on the kindle as it's not enhancing the book.
wakey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 15:03
oilman
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,852
Because my point is that the Kindle is supposed to be book replacement so if you wouldn't go into your bag to and write notes on a paper book then does it really belong on the kindle as it's not enhancing the book.
What a load of tosh. You would not normally write on a book as it defaces the book.

What has that got to do with wanting to use a reader as a notepad ?

For all I know, OP might be a commuter who reads poetry books on a train. and just wants to conveniently jot some poetic critiques down without having to carry another tablet round.

One man's meat is another man's poison!
oilman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 15:24
wakey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,763
What a load of tosh. You would not normally write on a book as it defaces the book.

What has that got to do with wanting to use a reader as a notepad ?

For all I know, OP might be a commuter who reads poetry books on a train. and just wants to conveniently jot some poetic critiques down without having to carry another tablet round.

One man's meat is another man's poison!
Have you actually used a kindle before or are you just being a troll?

If you had actually bothered to use a kindle before you would know that it has the feature to replicate taking the 'notes in the margin' that people do at times in physical books. That is a natural fit which is why it's included because the book itself ends up acting as the organisational tool for the notes.

What the OP is clearly asking for is an actual notepad which is a whole different beast. Such notes taken in a separate notebook app will usually be more complex, longer and need additional features to organise and catalog the notes you have typed. So it's exactly the same as taking a paper book and using it to write unconnected notes on it, in both cases the hardware of both the kindle and the paperbook and the functionality of both doesn't lend itself to actually taking proper notes.

And why do they need to be carrying a tablet. EVERYONE has a phone in their pocket which are generally designed to be multifunctional and as such are actually much better suited for both storing, organising and most of all typing notes
wakey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 15:53
oilman
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,852
Have you actually used a kindle before or are you just being a troll?

If you had actually bothered to use a kindle before you would know that it has the feature to replicate taking the 'notes in the margin' that people do at times in physical books. That is a natural fit which is why it's included because the book itself ends up acting as the organisational tool for the notes.

What the OP is clearly asking for is an actual notepad which is a whole different beast. Such notes taken in a separate notebook app will usually be more complex, longer and need additional features to organise and catalog the notes you have typed. So it's exactly the same as taking a paper book and using it to write unconnected notes on it, in both cases the hardware of both the kindle and the paperbook and the functionality of both doesn't lend itself to actually taking proper notes.

And why do they need to be carrying a tablet. EVERYONE has a phone in their pocket which are generally designed to be multifunctional and as such are actually much better suited for both storing, organising and most of all typing notes
My kindle paperwhite is rooted, has a notepad on it, plus some games, and is used as a wireless remote terminal for my raspberry pi 2.

I am not a troll, and I could accuse you of the same but I am not crass enough to do that. You made opinions which I challenged. I am going to end this conversation here.
oilman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 16:47
red_amber
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 598
Ok, to make this a little clearer, I'm going to be away for a few weeks and I don't own a tablet (and I don't wish to own one) and I will not be taking my phone. I do a lot of reading so I will be taking my kindle. I also like to take notes on various projects I have going on at the mo and do not want to carry a physical paper notepad. I know for a fact you can get notepad apps for kindle paperwhite - I just want to know which is the best one!
red_amber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2015, 17:02
IvanIV
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 25,199
Not on not jailbroken paperwhite AFAIK. But you could always choose one book on your Kindle, select a word and "annotate it".
IvanIV is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 16:52.